Skeleton column.



M. E. SANFORD.

SKELETON COLUMN. APPLIOATION FILED D301, 1911.

1,024,910; Patented Apr.30, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN E. SANFORD, 0F CEDAR SPRINGS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JAMES H. WORDEN, OF ANTIGO, WISCONSIN, AND ONE-THIRD TO CASPER FAUST,

OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN.

SKELETON COLUMN.

T 0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, IVLELVIN E. SANFORD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cedar Springs, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skeleton Columns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple and economically constructed skeleton post the same being constructed wholly from wire, combining the minimum weight with maximum strength, the construction being such that a plurality of longitudinal corrugated wire struts are securely tied and braced by inner and outer metallic wire strands, which strands are coiled in opposite directions, the loops of the opposite coils co-acting to form a serles of angular tie-braces throughout the entire length of the column, whereby transverse strain is effectually resisted in all directions.

Other objects of my invention are to provide means whereby av single strand of wire may be formed in continuous inner and outer coils from top to bottom of the column or post, the struts being interposed between the inner'or core coil and outer coil, the oppositely wound coils being suitably secured to the wire struts at their points of intersection; to provide an arrangement of inner and outer helical coils whereby the completed skeleton posts are slightly tapered in order that they may be nested one within another for shipment; incidentally the said tapered construction distributes the strain throughout the length of the post in such proportions as to insure the maximum of strength; to provide corrugated wire struts, the notches of which are adapted to receive the inner and outer coils whereby they are more effectually secured, it being understood that in some instances it is contemplated to subject the completed posts to a galvanic bath whereby the coils may be secured to the strands.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of constructon and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying illustrations and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents an Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Serial No. 663,335.

elevation of a skeleton wire fence-post embodying the features of my invention; and Fig. 2, a cross-section of the same, the section being indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring by characters to the drawings with especial reference to Figs. 1 and 2, 5 represents a series of longitudinal corrugated struts which are sup-ported transversely, by a core comprising a wire strand 2, that is coiled in the form of a conical helix, the lower end 2 of the strand being shown secured to one of the struts from which point it is initially given a portion of a turn or one or more flat turns upon itself. From thence the strand is coiled in the form of a conical helix to the top of the struts, at which point it is given a partial turn or one or more flat turns, being thereafter passed from within the strut-s or core coil, to the outside of said struts. The wire strand is then coiled downwardly in a reverse direction from the inner coil and over the struts to constitute a jacket coil 2, the said jacket coil terminating at the base of the column with a half turn or one or more windings. This end 2" is also secured to one of the struts as shown. Pairs of the struts 5 are preferably formed from one piece of wire by looping the same at the top of the post in a return bend the loop portions being centrally crimped to form an interlocking joint 5 as shown.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower ends of the column struts are extended below the windings to form feet whereby the post can be securely anchored within a bored hole by a suitable filling comprising layers of cement, dirt and stone, it being understood that the post is buried approximately to the point of its base coils, or the legs of said post may in some instances be driven directly into the ground.

In constructing the post, it is contemplated to first wind the inner coil about a suitable mandrel and thereafter adjust three or more longitudinal struts at equal distances apart about the coil core after which the strand is given an initial flat winding and is then wound in the reverse direction from the inner coils about said strands to form a jacket coil, the oppositely wound inner and outer coils being preferably spaced so as to alter nate each other as shown and thus form a series of angularly disposed cross-loops that will. serve as ties to resist transverse strain upon the completed posts in all directions.

In utilizing the post for wire fencing the wire stretches are attached to one of the struts by clencher staples or any other suitable connection. The manner of securing said wire strands forms no part of my invention and is therefore not illustrated.

As shown in Fig. 1 the struts 5 are corrugated throughout their length whereby a series of inner and outer notches are formed for the reception of the inner and outer coils, which coils are suitably secured either by galvanizing as previously described or by soldering where they contact with the strut indentures.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the wire strands constituting struts are crimped throughout their length to form a series of indentures for the aclret and core coils, each loop being seated in an indenture whereby the coils are securely held, even though the solder connection may become broken, these indentures being open or in the form of gentle waves whereby the wire core and jacket can be coiled thereabout freely. I am aware that struts have been. formed with fins having angularly disposed eXtcrior teeth for the reception of an outer coil of wire, these teeth being thereafter upset to secure the separate coils. This construction is necessarily expensive and could not be utilized in constructing a post in accordance with my invention due to the fact that the coils while being wound upon the struts would engage the top of the teeth of such fins and thereafter said coils would have to be pushed into place.

I claim:

1. A post comprising a series of longitudinally corrugated struts, inner and outer spirally wound wire strands connecting the struts, the inner and outer coils being wound in opposite directions and seated within the strutindentures, said coils being in solder connection with their strut-seats.

2. A post comprising a. series of longitudinally corrugated wire struts, and a single wire strand coiled within said struts and thereafter coiled about the outer edge of said struts in an opposite direction from the inner coil, each inner and outer coil being seated within the indentures formed by the corrugated. struts.

3. A post comprising pairs of longitudi- 5 nally disposed looped struts, the struts being corrugated throughout their length, and a single strand in connection with the struts, the strand being coiled within said struts and thereafter coiled about the outer edges 0 of the struts in an opposite direction from the inner coil, each inner and outer coil being seated within the indentures formed by the corrugations of the aforesaid struts.

41-. A post comprising a series of longitudinally disposed corrugated wire struts, and a single strand having an end in connection with the lower portion of one of the struts, the strand being thereafter coiled upwardly within said strut, wound about the upper end of the struts, and coiled. about the outer edges of said struts in a downwardly direction, the end of the strand being connected to one of said struts, each inner and outer coil of the strand being seated within corrugations of the aforesaid struts to which they are secured.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Cedar Springs in the county of Kent and State of lrlichigan in the presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN E. SANFORD.

itnesses G. A. FERGUSON, MILES MULroRD.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

